Blue Angels Back Home (With Photo Gallery)
March 19, 2015
The Blue Angels were back home Wednesday at the National Museum of Naval Aviation where an estimated 10,000 fans were on hand.
If you missed the practice, don’t worry. There are about four dozen more, usually on Tuesday and Wednesday morning through November. Check the schedule for exact dates and times.
The 2015 Pensacola Beach Air Show is July 11, and the Blue’s Homecoming Show at NAS Pensacola is November 6-7.
Pictured: The Blue Angels first practice of the year Wednesday at NAS Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
Seminole Tribe Looks For Opening In Gambling Talks
March 19, 2015
The Poarch Creek Indians are not the only tribe Gov. Rick Scott isn’t talking with. The Poarch Creeks want to talk to the governor about a gaming compact to allow casino gaming on their own acre of property in North Escambia and perhaps other sites including Pensacola and Jacksonville.
The Seminoles currently have a compact that’s expiring in place with the state, and Scott isn’t dealing with either, according to a new report.
In the latest hand in a public game of poker between the Legislature and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, tribal leaders provided a glimpse Wednesday into behind-the-scenes negotiations — or lack of negotiations — on renewing a lucrative part of a $1 billion gambling deal with the state.
As they have in recent weeks, the tribe’s representatives were in Tallahassee to “educate legislators” about a portion of the 2010 deal scheduled to expire in mid-July. The deal, called a compact, gives the Seminoles the exclusive rights to operate banked card games, such as blackjack, at most of its casinos.
In a rare, sit-down interview Wednesday, tribal leaders — general counsel Jim Shore, Seminole Gaming Chief Executive Officer Jim Allen and tribal councilman Andrew Bowers — met with reporters from The News Service of Florida and the Herald/Times capital bureau. (NorthEscambia.com is a News Service of Florida member.)
A $116 million annual payment the Seminoles gives the state in exchange for being the only gambling operators to offer the lucrative card games will shrivel up if lawmakers don’t act before the legislative session ends May 1, unless a special session is held to deal with the issue over the summer.
An attempt by Gov. Rick Scott to strike a new deal with the tribe blew up in the final days of the legislative session last year.
The tribe has not had any communication with Scott since January, when the governor’s office told the tribe that legislators would be handling this year’s talks, according to Shore.
Three weeks into the 60-day session, discussions have been informal at best.
“We don’t know what negotiation means. We’re talking to legislators, trying to educate them on the compact and stuff. But we haven’t had any specific person or office to negotiate directly yet,” Shore, seated at a conference table in the downtown office of tribe lobbyist Will McKinley.
Both the tribe and the Legislature are engaged in a sort of Texas Hold ‘Em contest as the deadline for the expiration of the card deal looms.
House Majority Leader Dana Young, R-Tampa, early this month released an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink gambling proposal that, if approved in its current form, would effectively do away with the minimum $250 million per year guaranteed to the state by the Seminoles in the overall 20-year deal. Young’s measure would allow two Las Vegas-style casinos to open in Broward or Miami-Dade counties and would include hefty payments she contends would eclipse what the tribe now pays the state.
A week after Young floated her plan, the Seminoles, who previously have held their cards close to the vest, took to the airwaves with statewide television ads to try to convince the public and lawmakers to re-up or expand the deal inked by then-Gov. Charlie Crist five years ago. The tribe estimates that its gambling operations have had a $2.4 billion economic impact on the state and created thousands of jobs since then.
Under the existing agreement with the state, the Seminoles agreed to pay a minimum of $1 billion over five years in exchange for exclusive rights to table games at seven of its nine facilities. In addition to money from the banked card games, the tribe also makes payments to the state based on other games, such as slot machines.
The deal allows the Seminoles to halt the payments if slot machines exist anywhere outside of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, excluding those operated by other tribes. The tribe can also reduce its payments if South Florida pari-mutuels are allowed to have banked card games, or if slots are authorized at any facilities that weren’t already operating in Broward or Miami-Dade, except for Hialeah Race Track, when the deal was signed in 2010.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who was the Legislature’s chief negotiator on the compact in 2010, is also playing a major role in this year’s plan.
Galvano has said that that discussions should remain focused exclusively on the card games and, unlike the deal Scott struck with the Seminoles last year, not include additional games sought by the tribe, such as craps and roulette.
“We think that’s an opening position for him. Others have said similar things as to what they’re looking for. I think they even said they don’t need the money as much now as they did five years ago. So we’re hoping all of this is just posturing and once we get down to some serious talks, they will be flexible and we will be flexible on all issues of the compact,” Shore said.
Galvano hasn’t met with the tribe’s representatives, who have instead had broad discussions with Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island. Bradley’s committee would be the first stop for any gaming legislation.
“I think we may have met with him once or twice, just a general conversation about what their expectations are and what ours are. Since then, we haven’t had any detailed discussions in a couple of weeks or so,” Shore said.
House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, who has said he supports giving the Seminoles more competition, told reporters Wednesday that his chamber will hold a workshop on Young’s bill next week.
But Allen indicated that destination resort casinos in South Florida would be a non-starter for the tribe. The Seminoles project that their payments to the state would eventually exceed $450 million annually.
“So we’re always a little bit bewildered when somebody says let’s do destinations when the state has this amazing opportunity to continue to grow their relationship with the tribe,” he said.
And he cautioned against gambling “creep” as seen in other states that opened the door to non-tribal casino gambling.
“The playbook of the casino companies is to get something approved, and then get something else approved, and then get something else approved, and then get something else approved. We’ve seen this over and over again in states like Maryland and New York. Pennsylvania’s a great example,” Allen said. “The tribe would certainly not want to be in a position where it’s committing to pay x amount of dollars and have the potential where all those particular changes of scope could happen in upcoming years.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
House Unanimously Approves Testing Bill – With Fewer Tests
March 19, 2015
The House unanimously approved legislation Wednesday aimed at lowering the number and importance of tests administered to Florida public-school students, shifting debate on this year’s highest-profile education issue to the Senate.
Lawmakers voted 115-0 to pass the bill (HB 7069), which would eliminate an 11th-grade language arts test, bar final exams in classes for which the state or a local school district has end-of-course tests and make a college-readiness test given to some students optional.
The measure would also reduce how much of a teacher’s evaluation is tied to student performance, from 50 percent to a third, and provide local districts more flexibility when it comes to testing.
“With the passage of this legislation, we have addressed legitimate concerns about student testing while maintaining a strong accountability system that promotes quality instruction in the classroom, increasing transparency to provide clear and consistent information, and maximizing flexibility for our local school districts,” House Education Chairwoman Marlene O’Toole, R-Lady Lake, said in a statement issued after the vote.
Lawmakers were already discussing scaling back the amount of time spent on state and local exams before the botched rollout of the Florida Standards Assessment, a new online standardized test used by the state.
But the technology issues that plagued the Florida Standards Assessment — which included slow log-in times earlier this month when the platform debuted and a later announcement by state officials that there had been a cyber-attack on the program — have drawn new questions about state tests.
Groups that have traditionally taken opposite sides in education debates have agreed that the state’s testing regime needs to be rolled back, though they disagree on the specifics. The Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, has said the House proposal is better than similar Senate legislation but hasn’t wholeheartedly endorsed either bill.
The Foundation for Florida’s Future, an organization founded by former Gov. Jeb Bush that strongly backs education accountability, praised the House vote.
“Testing and cultivating a love of learning are not mutually exclusive,” said Patricia Levesque, the foundation’s executive director, in a statement. “Testing that supports students, our hardworking teachers and the information, time and creativity they need in the classroom is a good thing. We’re thankful for the House’s work to prioritize measurement that matters while making thoughtful adjustments on Florida’s student-centered course to ensure student achievement continues to rise.”
But Democrats used the final debate on the bill to highlight what they saw as shortcomings, a day after the House rejected a pair of Democratic amendments. Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville, criticized the bill for not suspending the state’s school-grading system for at least a year, given the new tests.
An amendment offered by Jones that would have done so was easily defeated Tuesday.
“We have a responsibility not to cause harm to our young people, not to cause harm to our communities. … Today, I ask you to recognize the fact that we had an opportunity to do more, and we failed to do that,” Jones said Wednesday.
The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee is set to take up that chamber’s version of the bill (SB 616) on Thursday.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Undefeated Tate To Play For Aggie Classic Championship
March 19, 2015
The Tate Aggies beat Tulsa Union, OK, 5-3 in the Aggie Classic Wednesday night. The Aggies advance to the championship of their 22nd annual tourney.
The Aggies will face Second Baptist of Texas at 7 p.m. at Tate High School. Tate and Second Baptist were the only undefeated teams in tournament action this week. All Tate students wearing school colors will be admitted for just $1.
Wednesday Scores
Tate 5, Union, OK 3
West Florida 6 vs. Edmond North, OK 2
Gulf Breeze 12, Knoxville Catholic, TN 5
Washington FL 7 L vs. Pryor, OK 3
Davidson Academy, TN 4, Milton, 1
Second Baptist, TX 5, Claremore, OK 4
Christ Presbyterian, TN 11, Skiatook, OK
Brentwood Academy, TN 12, Escambia 6
Goodpasture, TN 9,Washington OK 2
Shawnee, OK 11, Brentwood, TN 4
Thursday Games
At Tate High School
#3 Christ Presbyterian vs. #4 Edmond North, 4 p.m..
#1 Tate vs. #2 Second Baptist, 7 p.m.
At West Florida High
Brentwood Acad. vs. Skiatook, 4 p.m.
West Florida vs. Shawnee, 7 p.m.
At Escambia
Claremore vs. Brentwood, 4 p.m.
Escambia vs. Pryor, 7 p.m.
At Gulf Breeze
Milton vs. Union, 4 p.m.
Gulf Breeze vs. Davidson, 7 p.m.
At Washington
Knoxville Catholic vs. Washington (Okla), 4 p.m.
Washington vs. Goodpasture, 7 p.m.
Sweeping School Choice Bill Passes Senate Panel
March 19, 2015
A sweeping education bill that would allow parents to send their children to schools in other counties and demand their children get new teachers in some situations was approved on a party-line vote Wednesday by a key Senate panel.
The 62-page measure (SB 1552) would, among other provisions, give parents the right to have their children attend any school in the state that hasn’t reached capacity. And if a student is being taught by a teacher that is out of his or her field, a parent could demand that the student be moved to another classroom. The bill also would make a slew of changes to charter school laws.
Over the objections of Democrats, the Senate Education PreK-12 Committee voted 7-4 to approve the bill. Supporters say the legislation would help parents whose children might otherwise be trapped in classrooms or schools that don’t work for them.
“I think school choice in traditional public schools is very important, because no child should be limited to the school that they can attend simply based on their ZIP code,” said Jason Fischer, a Duval County School Board member. “ZIP codes should not be barriers to a better life.”
But critics questioned the changes. Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat who doubles as chief executive officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, said the part of the bill allowing students to transfer to schools in other districts might not work out the same for all families.
The parents would have to pay transportation costs. Montford, a former superintendent, also pointed to school districts’ statements that the state doesn’t always cover the full cost of student transportation to begin with.
“If we’re really going to do that, then this state needs to step up, fully fund transportation, and provide true options for all parents, not just parents who have means,” Montford said after the meeting.
Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, a Fort Myers Republican who sponsored the bill, downplayed how many parents were likely to take advantage of the provision.
“I don’t anticipate there’s a mass move by parents to send their children or take their children to schools two counties away, or three counties away,” she said.
Benacquisto also pushed back against the idea that parents would be able to choose their children’s teachers, pointing out that the bill simply allows parents to request, or in some cases demand, that a student be moved out of a certain classroom. The school district could then assign the child to another class.
“This does not allow a parent to cherry-pick a teacher in any way, shape or form,” she said.
But Montford, who said he supported school choice as a general concept, also said the state has to allow superintendents and principals to run their schools at some point.
“When I was principal or school superintendent, I would lean over backwards to help parents get their choice,” he said while discussing the teacher provision. “But, quite frankly, there are some times there are good reasons not to give a parent that choice.”
The legislation still has two more committee stops before it could go to the full Senate.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Lady Aggies Topped; Hosting Strike Out Cancer Game Friday
March 19, 2015
The Tate Lady Aggies were topped 4-2 by Navarre Wednesday night.
Friday, the Lady Aggies will host their sixth annual “Strike Out Cancer Game” against thethe West Florida High Jaguars. All gat admissions, concessions and donations collected will benefit the Pensacola Chapter of the American Cancer Society for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The JV plays at 4:30, with the varsity game beginning at 6:30.
Northview Track Results: First, Second Place Wins
March 19, 2015
The Northview High School girls finished second in an 11-team meet last week at T.R. Miller. And the Northview boys and girls both finished first in a meet Tuesday in Bratt.
Track meet 3/12 at T.R. Miller
Girls Overall
- T.R. Miller 263
- Northview 94
- Hillcrest Evergreen 80
- Opp 49.5
- W.S. Neal 33.5
- J.F. Shields 33.5
- McIntosh 30
- Excel 10
- Monroe County 9
- Red Level 5
Boys Overall
- T.R. Miller 214.5
- Hillcrest Evergreen 163.5
- Opp 72
- W.S. Neal 48
- Monroe County 37
- Northview 35
- McIntosh 29
- Excel 28
- Red Level 16
- J.F. Shields 15
Track meet 3/17 at Northview
Girls Overall
- Northview Girls 77
- JU Blacksher Girls 29
Boys Overall
- Northview Boys 77
- JU Blacksher Boys 22
4X800
1st – -Northview Girls-13:31
4X400
1st – - Northview Girls -5:40
1st – -JU Blacksher Boys -5:37
4X100
1st – Northview Girls -57.81
1st – Northview Boys A -46.72
Girls 100 Hurdles
1st – Odom, A. –Northview 20.31
2nd – White, K. –Northview 21.15
Boys 110 Hurdles
1st – Parker, J. –Northview 17.95
2nd – Jay, W. – Blacksher 18.33
Girls 100 Meters
1st – Odom, A –Northview 13.37
2nd – Sidney, D. –Blacksher 13.82
3rd – Galvin, K – Northview 13.97
Boys 100 Meters
1st – -Garvey, E –Northview 11.29
2nd – Moore, D –Northview 11.31
3rd – Spencer, B –Northview 11.44
Girls 200 Meters
1st – Sidney, D –JU Blacksher 29.50
2nd – Galvan, K –Northview 30.34
3rd – Gibson, M –Northview 31.90
Boys 200 Meters
1st – Moorer, D –Northview 23.83
2nd – Bradley, T –Northview 24.16
3rd – Kirchharr, J –JU Blacksher 26.08
Girls 300 Hurdles
1st – Syria, M –Northview 1:02
Boys 300 Hurdles
1st – Elliott, O –Northview 46.33
2nd – Jay, W – JU Blacksher 50.41
3rd – Parker, J. –Northview 50.90
Girls 400 Meters
1st – Powell, R –JU Blacksher 1:13
2nd – Gibson, M –Northview 1:21.49
Boys 400 Meters
1st – Kirchharr, J –JU Blacksher 1:01.42
2nd – Spencer, B -Northview 1:07.13
3rd – Coon, E -Northview 1:08.41
Girls 800 Meters
1st – Elliott, J –Northview 3:14
2nd – Jackson, B –JU Blacksher 3:45
3rd – James, A –JU Blacksher 3:47
Boys 800 Meters
1st – Attes, A –Northview 2:52
2nd – Calloway, Z –Northview 3:01
3rd – Aaron, C. –JU Blacksher 3:56
Girls 1600 Meters
1st – McGahan, M –Nothview 7:32
2nd – Roux, S. –Northview 7:33
3rd – Barrows, T –Northview 9:34
Boys 1600 Meters
1st – Ates, J –Northview 6:16
2nd – Calloway, Z. –Northview 6:49
3rd – Howard, N –JU Blacksher 7:06
Girls 3200 Meters
1st – Weber, M –Northview 18:05
2nd – Walston, E –Northview 20:43
Girls High Jump
1st – North, C –Northview 4’4”
2nd – White, K –Northview 4’2”
3rd – Fischer, L –Northview 4’
Girls High Jump
1st – Fischer –Northview 4’2”
2nd – White, K – Northview 4’0”
Boys High Jump
1st – Newsome, C –Northview 6’4”
2nd – Parker, J –Northview 5’8”
3rd – Presley, W- JU Blacksher 5’0”
Girls Shot Put
1st – Anderson, K –JU Blacksher 36’5.5”
2nd – Campbell, B –Northview 27’2”
3rd – Cunningham, M –JU Blacksher 25’4”
Boys Shot Put
1st – Johnson, H –Northview 38’7”
2nd – Sherouse, H –Northview 37’9”
3rd – Carter, C. – Northview 37’0”
Girls Discus
1st – Anderson, K –JU Blacksher 105’3”
2nd – Fischer, L –Northview 63’8”
3rd – Cunningham, M –Blacksher 59’06”
Boys Discus
1st – Whitehead, A –Northview 103’4”
2nd – Adams, A –Northview 99’06”
3rd – Lassiter, C. –JU Blacksher 95’01”
Senate Leaves Door Open In Liquor, Groceries Debate
March 19, 2015
The need for a wall between vodka and vegetables would remain in Florida, but a revised Senate bill would open the door to reduced travel time for shoppers between the liquor and grocery aisles.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday scaled back a proposal (SB 468) that initially sought to eliminate an 80-year-old state law requiring liquor stores to be stand-alone facilities.
Instead, the bill now would require liquor and other retail products, such as groceries, to remain separate, while providing customers more direct access through doors when the locations abut.
“All this does is keep a person from having to go out into the rain,” said Sen. Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican who proposed the substitute measure.
The initial bill and the revised measure have drawn opposition from independent liquor stores, some county sheriffs and Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets. Meanwhile, support for the initial proposal and the door option has come from free-market groups and retailers including Wal-Mart and Target, which say their customers are looking for increased convenience.
Bill sponsor Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, said after Wednesday’s meeting that the revised proposal was a compromise.
“After listening to everyone, trying to find an alternative solution that worked for everyone, particularly the consumer, that’s how we got to where we are,” Grimsley said.
But Publix lobbyist Teye Reeves said after the meeting that the grocer intends to continue opposing the measure.
“I’ve talked to every member of the committee about what Publix’s position was,” said Reeves who didn’t speak at the meeting.
Publix has opposed the elimination of the state’s separation law because the company’s business model has been to separate its liquor stores from the main grocery operations.
The door option would be similar to many garden centers that accompany businesses such as Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Improvement. However, committee staff said state law would prohibit shoppers from using the liquor-store registers for their grocery purchases, and the grocery-store registers for liquor buys.
Sen. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican who voted against the door option, said the existing law has worked and that he is concerned the measure could increase liquor consumption.
“I just want to be mindful of how powerful the substance of alcohol can be,” Bean said.
Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, a Boynton Beach Democrat who backed the door option, put his faith in the security at giant retailers to reduce concerns about increased theft of liquor by minors.
“If somebody is going to commit a crime, the surveillance in a small mom-and-pop store is nowhere near the multimillion-dollar systems that I’m aware that most of our big-box retailers have,” Abruzzo said.
Before approving the door option, the committee rejected a proposal by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, that would have kept the state’s separation law in place. Latvala’s proposal would have simply allowed liquor deliveries to be made from the loading docks at grocery and big box stores, with the bottles transported through the stores to adjacent liquor stores.
Grimsley’s proposal has two more committee stops before it could reach the Senate floor.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Santa Rosa Deputy Seriously Injured In Central Florida Wreck
March 18, 2015
A Santa Rosa County deputy and the prisoner he was transporting were seriously injured in a head-on collision Monday in Central Florida.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 34-year old Dinara R. Kalimulina, age 34 of Plano, TX, was eastbound on I-10 near Lake City in a 2015 Lexus when she traveled off the roadway and crossed the median into oncoming traffic and struck a marked Santa Rosa County patrol car head-on. Deputy Kurt A. Schultz, 37, attempted to avoid the collision, according to the FHP.
Deputy Joshua Toole, a passenger in the cruiser, was airlifted to Shands Hospital in Gainsesville where he underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition on Wednesday. Kalimulina was transported to an area hospital by ambulance with minor injuries. Her 6-year old passenger was not injured. The inmate was transported to a hospital in serious condition. His name has not been released. Deputy Schultz was not injured.
Kalimulina admitted to the FHP that was distracted by her GPS at the time of the crash. She is facing a charge of careless driving.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain Moves In Tonight
March 18, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday
A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Thursday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday
A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Friday Night
A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Saturday Night
Showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 61. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday
Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 70. West wind around 5 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday
A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 68.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Tuesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.